Music for Stage and Screen (2LP)

Tbilisi Records proudly presents the first volume in the series: Giya Kancheli - Music for Stage and Screen. Giya Kancheli (1935-2019) was one of the most acclaimed and beloved Georgian composers of the 20th century. He created celebrated symphonic and chamber works, but also brought depth and beauty to theater and cinema through his original scores. Working in tandem with directors, screenwriters, playwrights, and conductors, Kancheli helped to define multiple eras of Georgia's diverse, multidisciplinary artistic identity. In collaboration with the composer's family, Tbilisi Records has compiled a series of recordings of Kancheli's music composed for film and theater. This first double LP presents some of his earliest creations: music for two theater productions, Khanuma (1968) and The Straw Hat (1966), and one of the composer's earliest soundtracks, music for the film Extraordinary Exhibition (1968). This album includes archival recordings, unreleased tracks, and alternate takes from sessions made available here for the very first time. These collected examples from the composer's early career illustrate his already established style, while serving as a foundation from which to compare his later works and artistic evolution. "Giya Kancheli - Music for Stage and Screen" also highlights Kancheli's incredible propensity for collaboration, emphasizing his role as a critical figure in the constellation of artists that defined Georgia's creative milieu.